Pneumatic shoe-tree.



E. H. MAGNUS.

PNEUMATIC SHOE TREE.

APPLICATlON man MAY 1. 1915.

L l fiflfiml Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

. I INVENTDR.

' paper, or curled hair, I with anda unlform pressure isproduced on I .be caused by wearing the shoe. Also,

I EDWARD H. MAGNUS, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

P1\T EUIVIATIC SHOE-TREE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD H. MAGNUS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Pneumatic Shoe-Tree; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art tov which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, of this specification.

My invention relates to pneumatic shoe trees and it has for its object to provide a shoe tree which may be easily inserted in a shoe and one wherein the vamp seam or the line at which the vamp or seam is usually found will not be puifed' up by the inflation of the pneumatic shoe tree and so that the toe of the shoe will be evenly expanded according to the design of the shoe.

By my invention is provided a shoe tree which will not only fill the. shoe and give it the appearance which-it is designed to be given according to the pattern of the shoe, but also will remove any wrinkles thag may 3 y invention, a readily detachable ,heel or stretching part is provided whereby the tree will not only make the shoe conform to the pattern according to its design, but also will operate to stretch the shoe and cause it to retain its appearance of newness.

One of the main objects of my invention is to provide a window display shoe tree which is insertible in the toe end of the shoe andis quite completely out of sight when in 40 position in the shoe and which will at, the same time keep the shoe in an attractive form and configuration. Also by my invention is provided a shoe tree which is light in'weight and which may be easily folded or reduced in volume for purposes; of salesmens display samples.

.By In invention is provided a distensible, expansi le, and variable shoe tree' which may be used in connection with a great variety of shapes and sizes of shoes. Also one wherein'stufling shoes with cotton, tissue is entirely done away the interior of the shoe to make it round and shaped up in conformity to the pattern of its design. "Also, by my invention a shoe Specification of Letters Patent.

which form a part mg my inventlon,

Patented Nov. f6, 1915.

Application filed May 1. 1915. Serial No. 25,316.

tree is provided which is readily insertible and removable and yet one which will conform to various shapes and sizes of shoes makmg the invention exceedingly valuable to window trimmers for shoe display, and one wherein the shape of the shoe will not be disturbed by careless handling of the shoe when prepared for window display as in the case of shoes which are shaped up by stuffing cotton batting, hair or tissue papers, which are easily put out of shape even by the mere touching of the shoes one against the other. The pneumatic shoe tree containwill cause the shoe to be even pressure over its en thereby causing the shoe pressed out at an tlre lnner surface to take up and retain the particular design ofits pattern. I

The invention may be contained in many forms of pneumatic shoe trees, all of which come within the purview of my claims hereinafter appended. To show the practicability of my invention, I have selected a shoe tree as an example and shall describe it hereinafter. The tree selected is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Figure 1 of the drawing, illustrates a sectional view of the shoe tree having attached thereto a heel piece and also a pump for pneumatically inflating the tree. Fig. 2 illustrates a sectional view of the device illustrated in Fig. 1 taken on the line XX. Fig. 3 illustrates the adjustable heel piece. Fig. 4 is a sectional View of the tree shown in Fig. 1, taken along the line YY. Fig. 5 illustrates the metal form which shapes up the vamp line of the shoe and also provides a means whereby the pneumatic tree, when deflated, may be easily inserted into the shoe.

1, Fig. 1, illustrates the conventional low shoe in which is inserted a tree containing my invention. The tree comprises an inflatable container 2- and a detachable shield or form 3 which shapes the tree to the vamp line of the shoe and also provides a means whereby the flexible container or sack 2 may be easily inserted in the shoe. It alsopro- .videsa means which extends across the shoe forming a connecting wall between the shield and a sole piece and forms a supporting part for the air valve and pipe connector of the pneumatic shoe tree. The container 2 when inflated is substantially the shape of the forward half of the shoe part of the shoe and extends preferably or of a large 1 from the toe of the. shoe to therear of the ball of the shoe or in the vicinity of the rear of the ball of the shoe.

The container 2 is preferably formed of rubber sheet material. It, however, may be formed of any expansible fabric or elastic material. Its seams are sealed by rubber or other suitable material. It is provided with a pocket 4 which extends from the rear end of the tree and along the sole side of the tree. The pocket is formed of a heavier sheet material 7-whichis placed on the bottom of the 'tree and secured along the toe and sides of the tree.

The form 3 is provided with a shield 10 which extends over the rear portion and the top of the tree following the vamp line of the shoe. The sole piece 11 is insertible in the pocket 4 and so as to extend the whole length of the container 2 from the rear end of the tree to near the toe of the tree. .The'

form 3 is also provided with a rear wall 12 which connects the shield 10 and the sole piece or strip 11. The rear wall 12 is provided with an opening 13 through which the threaded connector 14 may extend. The connector 14 may be clamped by means of a gnarled nut 15 which seals theair container to the connector and fastens the connector to the metal wall 12 of the form.

The connector 14 forms a means for connecting an air pump 16 and pipe 19 with the interior of the container. The shield 10 and the rear wall 12 causes the container 2 to be forced into all of the toe parts of the shoe so as to fill laterally as well as vertically into all the spaces and causes the shoe to shape itself to the design after which the shoe is patterned.

The sole piece 11 extends into the pocket 4 and provides a means whereby the shoe tree may be easily inserted into the shoe and so as to place the toe of the flexible container 2 in the toe of the shoe. The sole piece 11 being made of elastic sheet-metal, it may be easily bent to a curve so that while the shoe tree is being inserted into the shoe the strip 11 will easily bend and yet carry forward the toe of the tree into the toe of the shoe duringthe insertion of the tree, It being elastically yielding, the shoe tree may be easily inserted without binding against the stifl'ened portion of the heel of the shoe when the shoe tree is inserted. Also, by reason of its yielding elastic nature the shoe tree may be easily removed from the shoe without'its engaging with the heel portion of the shoe and causing bending or spoiling.

of the finish of the upper edges of the rear portions, particularly the heel portion of the shoe. Also, by reason of the yielding, elastic nature of the sole piece 11, of the form 3, the shoe tree may also readily conform to the shape of the sole ofthe shoe. The container may do this without bending over the edges of the strip 11 which it would be forced to do if the strip 11 was stiff and the sole was be varied as may be desired. A means is provided for detachably connecting the heel piece to the form 3 of the shoe tree. Any suitable means may be provided for thus connecting the heel part of the shoe tree. In the form shown in the drawing the adjustable part 20 is provided with a depending flange 22 which along its lower edge is also provided with a forwardly extending flange 23. The depending flange 22 is provided with two inwardly curved fingers 24 which are located at the ends of the depending flange. The fingers, 24 extend diagonally inward and upward with respect to the depending flange 22. Also, the forwardly extending flange 23 is provided with a finger 25 at one end which extends inwardly and lengthwise with respect to the flange 23. The flange 23 at the other end thereof is provided with an upwardly extending finger 26 which extends substantially at right angles to the surface of the flange 23. When the heel piece is to be connected to the form 3 the portions of the edges 27 of the-rear wall 12 of the form 3 are inserted between the fingers 24 of the depending flange 22, while at the same time the portion 28 of the edge of the strip 11 is inserted between the finger 25 and the forwardly extending flange 23, whereupon the form 3 and the heel piece are moved angularly with respect to each other so as to cause the finger 26 to engage the portion 29 of the edge of the strip 11. This will hold the heel piece with respect to the form 3 and when the heel piece and the shoe tree is inserted in the shoe the two will be held locked to each other in position.

The two parts 20 and 21 may be secured in their adjusted positions by any suitable means, such as, by a spring pressed lever. In the drawings is shown a pin 30 which is supported on the lever 31. The lever is fulcrumed on a U-member 32, which may be secured to the part 20. A spring 33 is located intermediate the lever 31 and the U- member 32 or the part 20 to yieldihgly raise or hold the lever 31 so as to force the pin 30 downward. The part 20 may be provided with an opening 34 through which the pin 30 may pass and the part 21 may be provided with openings 35 that are arranged along the part 21 and so asto register with the opening 34. The pin 30 may be raised by pressing on the lever 31 and when the lever 31 is released, it will pass through not only the opening 34: but in one of the openings 35 which will lock the parts 20 and 21 with respect to each other according to the particular opening 35 through which the pin 80 passes. 3

The rear end of the part 21 may be provided with any suitable enlarged abutting surface for the heel piece as may be desired. in the form of the invention shown the part 21 is made of a strip of metal which slidably telescopes within the part 20. llhe rear end of the part 21 is provided with a curved portion which not only forms the heel of the tree, but by reason of its curved formation provides a finger piece or handle by means of which the tree may be easily adjusted, easily inserted and easilv withdrawn from the shoe.

The tree selected and described, may be greatly varied in the arrangement and manufacture of its parts and in the substitution of elements having equivalent functions and such modifications may still contain the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A pneumatic shoe tree having a pneumatic container arranged to be positioned in the fore part of a shoe, and a sheet metal form having a shell extending to just below the vamp line of the shoe and over the pneumatic container, the form having an elastic sole piece removably connected to the sole of the container extending under the container substantially the length of the sole and of the container whereby the container may be inserted in the sole.

2. A pneumatic shoe tree having a pneumatic container, arranged to be positioned in the fore part of the shoe, a sheet metal form having a shield extending to just below the vamp line of the shoe and over the pneumatic container, and a sole piece extending under "the container substantially in the vicinity of the vamp line and extending over the upper portion of the pneumatic container, an elastic sole piece extending along the sole side of the container and attached to the container for insertion of the container in a shoe and which conforms to the shoe when the container is inflated, a rear wall connecting the shield and the elastic sole piece and a valve casing forming a connector mounted in the said wall.

4. A pneumatic shoe tree having a pneumatic shoe part arranged'to be positioned in the fore part ofthe shoe, a sheet metal form having a vertical Wall located at the rear end of the pneumatic toe part, and a detachable heel part having a downwardly extending flange forming an abutting wall, the flange having inwardly extending fingers for detachably engaging the vertical wall of the shoe tree on the side opposite the abutting flange.

In testimony whereof, l[ have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

EDWARD H. MAGNUS. 

